AN indie music pioneer will be in Blackburn this weekend to mark the resurrection of a musical venue.

Mani, bassist from iconic Manchester outfit The Stone Roses, famous for their anthem I am the Resurrection, is playing a two hour set at the Cellar Bar, King Street, on Saturday.

The bar closed earlier this year for a major refurbishment, which organisers hope will re-energise Blackburn's alternative music scene.

The collaboration with Mani is a result of a link with Blackburn DJ and promoter Sam Flanagan.

The 25-year-old is a member of promotions company Independent alongside fellow Blackburn lads Matt Bury and Paul Clarkson.

In January of this year Sam mixed together the Stone Roses classic Waterfalls and the Lily Allen tune LDN and posted it on his Myspace page.

To his astonishment, the remix was picked up by Mani, 44, who in turn posted the tune on his own website.

Not long after this, the pair met at a gig Mani was doing and Sam thought he would be the perfect person to launch the Cellar Bar, especially as Independent are organising all the music and events for the venue.

Mani played on the band's 1989 debut album The Stone Roses and 1994s follow up the Second Coming before the group disbanded in 1996.

He then joined Primal Scream and now DJs and plays bass in other bands.

And Sam believes it is a real coup to get him to play the reopening night at the Cellar Bar.

He said: "He's a bit of a hero to a lot of people round here so we thought it would be great to get him.

"It's unbelievably important that there is a venue like this because it gives people somewhere to go who might not necessarily be into mainstream dance tunes.

"There a lot of students who are into the type of music on offer at Cellar Bar but it's for anybody with an interest in this music."

The opening night will see three live bands, The Electric Circus and The Great Fury from Manchester and The Layne from Wigan, and Sam will be doing a set as well.

He hopes the new look bar will showcase live bands every Friday and Saturday, the intention being to have three bands on these nights every week.

The refurbished venue boasts a brand new sound system, new toilet blocks, and a second bar outside in the courtyard scheduled to open in the following weeks.

Sam, who has just completed a PGCE at Blackburn College where he taught on the access to music course, said there will also be increased security at the venue to ensure there are no health and safety issues for customers and bands alike.

"It was always a great venue but now, hopefully, it can even better," he added.